Improvement in velocipedes



2 ShetsSheet 1.

R. OLIVIER i Velocpede. No. 971,683. Patented Dec. 7,1869.

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Letters Patent No. 97,683, dated December 7 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN 'VELQCIPEDES The `Schedule,'reierxlec'i to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom it may concern.-

B e it known that I, REN OLIVIER, of Paris, in

the Empire of Franca/manufacturer, have invented certain new and useful Improi-*ements in the Manufacture and Construction of Velocipedes, and'other similar l vehicles; 'and I declare the following to be a full and true description of the same.

Upto theA present time, suspension, properly so;

called, hasfnot existed in the veloeipede. The rider only is suspended upon the spring. of the saddle, but

the apparatus itself is not. This has no doubt arisen from the fact `,thatvno 'sufficiently simple andeiicacious arrangement'has yet beendiseoveredto effect this ob ject. "I believe Ifhave succeeded in overcoming these,

`dificulties. i '4 s y. My improvementsv are lallgfouuded on the same basis,

namely, the employment of a compensating auxiliary `fork, sliding against and preferably in the interiorof the ordinary fork which encloses the driving-wheel.

The 'two 'brancheslof this auxiliary fork Aare iixed to i thejhearings in whicht-he shaft of the wheel works, and consolidate their oscillations by perfectly maintaining the equilibriuinof suspension.

The rst modification is represented in the end view Figure 1, and in the side view, Figure 2. y

The interior and auxiliary fork a, is' formed with' a spindle, 11,'.workipg in acyl'indrical socket ih the shank c of themain` fork d.

y The t'wo branches a aare connected inany suitable lmanner lto. the

hearings g g,which support the driv ing-wheelf. i y v v The two extremitiesof the branches of the ordinary fork d `are hollowed out at 11,-to admit the bearings, and they have, at their lower ends, two bars or plates h. h, which act as hearing-surfaces to two fiat springs ni fi, the centres of "which are fixed to the bearings by the tivo slnall spindles jj, passing through two open ings inthe said barslt i, and which guide the interior fork in its oscillatory movement.

By means of this arrangement it will be understood that the suspension is in perfect equilibrimm'aud there is no reason to fear that the lateral displacement of the body of the rider, acting `unequally upon the bearings,r will incline the axleof' the driving-wheel, and cause the said wheel to be pressed against one of the y branches of the fork. Ou the contrary, h y this arrange` ment-:the bearings are compelled to oseillate in apar-- allel line, and therefore tlievertical movement ofthe wheel exactly lcorresponds to the motion of the axis of v-the fork.

l f The other modifications that I amvabout'to describe vfuliil the same conditions, but by' meansof rather diftwo holes inthe bars n n, .and act as guides for 'ferent arrangements, so far as the construction of the parts -is concerned.`

@In the. arrangement represented in the end view, Figure 3, and in the side view, Figure 4, the dat springs are replaced .by Indiarubber rings, or other elastic material. f

The auxiliary inte'idr-fork d is still fixed to the bearings gy, but it is furnished, above them, with tivo' A,horizontd bars fm m, over which pass the rings, the

other ends thereofv vpassing under two similar hars n' n, fixed to the lower'part of the principal fork d.

Two small spindlesl l, from the bearings, pass through venting any deviation of the'iuterior. fork. i

rEhe twoA remaining modifications are very simple. The details only `are shown yin the drawings;

In the arrangement seen in the side view, Figure' 5, the suspension is. effected by lenticularor other springs 7c It, placed in the recess in the exterior fork dabove"the bearings g g, which are' attached to the auxiliary fork.

My arrangement is reduced to its most sim-ple form in the moditication illustrated inlligure 6.

`lii this case a single spring produces suspension, this spring p heing placed in a socket or cylindrical recess,

o, in the main pillar, and is compressed by the flanged spindle b, which surmounts the auxiliary fork a, carrying the bearings as usual, or the spring can be placed between the shoulders of the'two forks, if desired.

The bearings, in these various arrangements,- may 4be provided with anges, for' maintaining them exactly grooved recesses of in position while they slide in the the main fork.

In all cases-they are solidly fixed to the auxiliary fork, so thatthis latter balances exactly the actions -ofthe springs-and the irregularities caused by the unevenness of motion.

:This mode ot' suspension will also apply to the hind wheelof the velocipede. The auxiliary fork may be dispensed ,with by utilizing, in a suitable mannen-the balancing-fork or double oblique arm ofthe velocipede for supporting the suspensory springs.

Iclaim the improvement-s above described, and especially the followin" vFor the suspension of the wheelsof velocipedes,.

the combination of an auxiliary coinp'ensating-ibrk.

In,` testimony whereof, I have signed my name' to this specification, before two subscribing witnesses. R. OLIVIER.

Witnesses:

- F. OLooTr, y

J. AnMnNGnUD.

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